Learn how to make better use of your smartphone's functions. There are lots of tips!
When you buy a smartphone, you usually don't know all the features it has. Cell phones have many functions and features that you don't even imagine. These are settings that can help you with your routine, save your data or even improve your well-being. The fact is that these devices are well-equipped to make your life easier.
However, many of these functions are “hidden” within your phone’s settings, going unnoticed. If you want to know how to access features to improve and get the most out of your device, keep reading.
Customize Quick Settings
Quick settings are known as the buttons that appear when you swipe down from the top of the screen. Typically, the default options allow you to turn Wi-Fi, flashlight, or airplane mode on and off.
However, not everyone knows that the buttons displayed can be customized. As such, the icons may be more suitable for your daily use. To do this, simply access the menu by swiping your finger from the top to the bottom and tapping on the three dots that appear in the upper right corner. Then select the “Edit” button. Now all you need to do is select and move the button as you like.
Screen refresh rate
For a richer visual experience, you can increase your screen’s refresh rate. Increasing the refresh rate means your screen refreshes more times per second, reducing blur in fast-moving scenes and reducing the “stuttering” feeling of your phone, such as when scrolling through social media feeds.
If your device has this feature, you can change the speed in the display settings, but the mode may vary from brand to brand. For example, on Samsung phones, this feature is called “smooth motion” and can only be changed when “power saving” mode is disabled.
Dark mode
With Dark Mode, you can easily maximize the potential of your smartphone. In addition to save battery On devices with OLED or AMOLED screens, this option is also more comfortable on the eyes, especially in low light conditions. Dark mode is also suitable for people with vision problems.
To enable Dark Mode, go to “Settings” and tap “Display.” You can toggle between light mode and dark mode at the top of the screen. To use Dark Mode only at night, tap “Dark Mode Settings” and select “Dusk to Dawn” or create a custom schedule.
Use the widget
Widgets allow you to organize and access information in apps directly from your smartphone’s home screen without opening the app. They allow you to read and send emails in Gmail, view unread messages, organize your calendar, and more. Widgets are lightweight and highly customizable, allowing you to change their size, position, and color scheme in some cases.
To activate the widget, simply press and hold your device’s home screen for a few seconds. Select “Widgets” from the menu that appears at the bottom of the screen. Once you’ve selected the desired widget, tap “Add.”
Manage notifications
Receiving tons of notifications throughout the day can be annoying and completely useless. After all, really important information can get lost in the middle of a lot of unnecessary information. To avoid this, manage app permissions and block unimportant notifications.
In the “Settings” section of the “Notifications” menu, you can easily manage notification permissions for all apps and set up “Do Not Disturb” mode, for example.
Increase RAM Plus
Modern smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Redmi Note 12 have a feature called RAM Plus, which expands the RAM using the phone's free internal memory. As a result, the smartphone's performance is greatly improved and even the most demanding applications run with better performance.
Digital wellbeing
In an effort to avoid the negative health effects of prolonged screen time, manufacturers have created digital wellness devices with features that help users develop a healthier relationship with their phones. On Android devices, you can set daily screen time goals, monitor device usage while users are walking or driving, and monitor listening time at high volumes.
Another interesting option is “Focus Mode,” which changes the phone’s settings based on the activity or situation selected by the user, such as “Cinema,” “Drive,” or “Rest.” Additionally, there’s “Bedtime Mode,” which helps you get a good night’s sleep with customizable settings, such as automatically activating “Do Not Disturb” and limiting app usage.
To enable this feature, go to the “Digital Wellbeing & parental controls” option in “Settings”.
Use Secure Folder
The so-called Secure Folder is the easiest way to protect your important files and personal photos. To create one, open the Google Files app and scroll down to the “Collection” category. Select “Secure Folder” and choose whether you want to protect it with a password or pattern.
But be careful, if you forget your app PIN or password, you won’t be able to restore access to your files. Tap “Browse” at the bottom of the screen to move files to the secure folder. Once you find the file you want, tap “More” and select “Move to Secure Folder.”
Notification history
Notification history allows users to view all notifications received on their phones. In addition to helping you analyze which apps send you the most messages, this tool also allows you to recover deleted notifications and record messages that your contacts have deleted from WhatsApp.
To enable notification history, go to “Settings” and tap “Notifications.” Then select “Advanced Settings.” Next, tap “Notification History” and turn the feature on.
Always update
The Android system always receives basic updates for proper functionality and security. Updates fix bugs, vulnerabilities, and improve performance, so it is important to install new updates as soon as they are available.
To check if your system needs an update, look for “Software Update” in the “Settings” menu. Then click “Download and Install.” Don’t forget to enable the option to automatically download updates over Wi-Fi to download updates automatically without using mobile data.
